By Theodore Kalmoukos/ NATIONAL HERALD
BOSTON – For the first time in the history of the Archdiocese of America, an Archbishop has filed a Pre-judicial Declaration (Εξόδικο) against a media outlet, specifically against the religious website ‘Exapsalmos’ – www.exapsalmos.gr, which is run by Sotiris Tzoumas, a former collaborator of the Greek Edition of The National Herald. The action is an attempt to silence him and intimidate numerous critics Elpidophoros has acquired.
A Pre-judicial Declaration is pre-litigation notice serving as a formal communication to the other party, informing them of the intention to take legal action if certain conditions are not met or if a resolution cannot be reached outside of court.
The Pre-judicial Declaration is titled as follows: ‘Before Any Competent Court and Pre-judicial Declaration – Protest – Invitation by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, with secular name Ioannis Lambriniadis, residing at the headquarters of the Holy Archdiocese of America on 8 Wast 79th Street, NY 10075, Against Sotiris Tzoumas, son of Michael and Angela, resident of Athens, Kyniskos Street, No. 22-24’.
Meanwhile, in a statement sent to The National Herald Tzoumas emphasizes that, “in any case, I DECLARE that I remain at his disposal, if he wishes to speak frankly about the events and point out the flaws in the press.” The entire statement is published farther below.
In the introduction of his Pre-judicial Declaration Archbishop Elpidophoros says accusingly to Tzoumas: “You know perfectly well that on the website www.exapsalmos.gr, which as it emerges from press releases refers to a recent court decision, is owned by you. I recently noticed that you publish, also as a writer, articles about me using unbelievably unprecedented insulting expressions as quoted below. You also re-publish articles on which you did not at all reserve or undertake the necessary verification, clarification, or confirmation with similarly offensive content.”
In the Prejudicial Declaration, a series of commentaries periodically written by Tzoumas in Exapsalmos are quoted. Among the articles cited is the one published on March 1, 2024, with the title ‘Is it possible for Elpidophoros to accept to be elected Vice President of the National Council of the Churches of the USA? What will the Orthodox Church gain from this?’ Among other things, the following is stated in this article: “Some people systematically engage in self-promotion. Any kind of promotion anywhere and for anything. The objective is promotion and only promotion. Even if it’s negative, offensive, indecent, even humiliating or derogatory! We said: promotion must be done! This is a syndrome. Sometimes it can be treated, but for that to happen, one must endure many slaps. One person who embodies the above is Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. His latest achievement? He became Vice President of the ‘National Council of Churches of the USA.’ An organization guided by other doctrines with which we have no particular relationship, and we do not participate in the Common Cup [Holy Communion] because they advocate other things that we consider heretical. And indeed, as you will see on the website of this Council, which we publish at the end of our text, Mr. Elpidophoros poses with full Hierarchical vestments (staff, and pectoral cross) and is promoted among ‘female bishops,’ among ‘Teresas’, and other… echoing forces! Unfortunately, this is a disgrace and shame! An Orthodox Hierarch, who ‘stands in the place and image of Christ’, participating in a… ‘Karagiozis’ puppet show! Disgusting! He should at least wear his suit. It would cause less provocation.”
In his Pre-judicial Declaration, Archbishop Elpidophoros, among other things, states the following: “Mr. Sotiris Tzoumas, The references to my person after the phrases used in the above articles that you have written – in what capacity is unknown, as we cannot determine according to your own references in the press, either that you have undertaken theological studies, or that you have the capacity of an ecclesiastical editor, or that you are the representative of some ecclesiastical institution of our Orthodox Church – are extremely derogatory, false, and defamatory to my person, contain elements that do not correspond to reality, offend my honor, my reputation, my personality, and even my Hierarchical ministry.”
At another point, the Archbishop asks Tzoumas to remove his articles from Exapsalmos that refer to him and encloses in his Pre-judicial Declaration a statement that he demands Tzoumas publish: “The website ‘exapsalmos.gr’ and its owner Mr. Sotiris Tzoumas apologize to Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the Archdiocese of America, and the Christian flock of the Archdiocese and elsewhere around the world.”
Archbishop Elpidophoros informs that if Tzoumas does not comply with the requests, he will resort to civil and criminal justice. In the meantime, it was not possible to find out whether Archbishop Elpidophoros has obtained relevant permission from the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate or even from Patriarch Bartholomew personally to proceed with these legal proceedings.
TZOUMAS’ STATEMENT TO TNH
Mr. Tzoumas made the following statement to TNH:
“With particular surprise and obvious perplexity, I received on 04.03.2024 an extrajudicial declaration, a protest invitation from His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, which was communicated to me on 06.03.2024 by the judicial officer of the Court of Appeals of Athens Konstantinos Prountzos. In this extrajudicial, he isolates, obviously for his own reasons, specific publications from the certainly many more that are posted daily on the website ‘www.exapsalmos.gr’ and which concern issues of wider ecclesiastical interest and certainly of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The noteworthy thing is that while the recorded posts date back to a previous period, with significant delay and completely belatedly, he expresses his dissatisfaction. What is the belated reaction for? He obviously understood that the grace period is over!
“With this, I express my perplexity with the content of his extrajudicial protest of the Archbishop of America, pointing out directly that apart from generalizations and indirect evasions regarding resorting to justice if I do not publish the apology-hagiography he drafted, there is no mention made to bother recording regarding the substance of the alleged and actual incidents that are clearly described in my texts. And I’m not the only one describing them.
“His Eminence knows very well that I have been a journalist for many decades and have always been distinguished for the courage of my opinions and for my insistence on condemning, with evidence, the wrongdoings in our Church. Indeed, in the past, when I was his friend, he often made use of this courage of mine when he channeled information to me [when he was] a member of the Synod, which was when the issue of the finances of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America under Archbishop Demetrios had arisen. But the end justifies the means. At that time, I was useful to his goal of discrediting Archbishop Demetrios of America. And he succeeded!
“In this case, everything that is documented in my texts has been repeatedly confirmed, even from conversations with individuals of his absolute trust, and his long-standing silence clearly proves beyond any doubt the correctness and truth of what sorrowful events are taking place in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and have been repeatedly highlighted by ethnic newspapers and other ethnic organizations.
“I expected from His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America that he would provide me with specific evidence and proofs that would answer and refute the allegations, and I would gladly publish them. This is indeed demanded by journalistic ethics. But in vain. The choice to use vague terms, unilateral interpretations, and theoretical approaches is a clear proof of guilt and lack of arguments, from which it is obvious that he is already seeking an escape route.
“However, the conscience of God’s people is infallible and does not attribute to me false information and hostile behavior. On the contrary, mouths have begun to open, and accusations about deeds and days are coming like an avalanche.
“Therefore, it would be good for His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America to acknowledge his mistakes and omissions and try to honor the trust of our Patriarch, who chose him as the head of the most coveted Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Throne.
“In any case, I DECLARE that I remain at his disposal if he wishes to speak candidly about what is happening and to put his finger on the pulse of the press. My duty is to inform the people.”
